8 Superhero Exercises to Feel Empowered

Superhero Exercises
02 Jan

Last Updated on May 22, 2023 by Michael Brockbank

I am still on my quest to turn a 300+ pound desk jockey into a Marvel superhero. Long story. Anyway, it’s only natural to find workouts that help me feel empowered to continue. And I’ve found several superhero exercises that will help me reach my goal.

While I doubt I’ll look as good as Black Widow in a tight black outfit, these exercises are making strides in how I feel overall.

And that’s really the point, isn’t it? How do you feel in your own skin?

For me, I’d just love to be able to walk up a steep incline without wheezing.

8 Awesome Superhero Exercises to Strengthen and Define Muscles

What spurred the idea of finding these kinds of workouts is my goal of looking like a superhero for Halloween. And although I miss the mark every year, it’s still something I am interested in doing.

I figured that finding themed workouts might help keep the mind engaged while being more fun. I mean, a plank is just that. But a “Spider-Man” plank makes you feel like you’re working towards something.

Probably because you’re doing more than just planking.

So, what kind of superhero exercises can you start doing right now to get that crime-fighting physique?

1. Spider-Man Plank

Spideman Plank

Since I already brought it up, let’s start with the Sider-Man Plank. In this version of a plank, you’re actually moving your legs up to your elbows while holding position.

This works on the abs, obliques, thighs, and glutes with every repetition. The idea behind the exercise is to simulate wall-crawling and demonstrate flexibility.

2. Spider-Man Push-Up

Keeping with the theme of our friendly, neighborhood hero, the Spide-Man Push-Up is a bit more advanced. Instead of keeping the upper body stationary, you’ll throw in a push-up while bringing your knees up to your elbow.

This ads the benefit of the plank along with work on the chest, shoulders, and triceps thanks to the push-up on one leg. It’s a bit more grueling than some other superhero exercises but is quite effective.

Now, this one is quite a bit more difficult. So, don’t read too much into it if you’re only able to do a handful of reps. Just set your personal record and work to beat it later on.

3. Superman

Superman

The Superman is kind of like a reverse plank. Instead of putting all the work on your abs, it’s mostly distributed along your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. Though, I have felt the workout in my shoulders and upper back to a minor degree.

Essentially, you’re positioning your body on the floor like you’re flying. Hold the position for a specific amount of time just like you would count for a plank.

Personally, I like this one quite a bit as it helps with my lower back pain over the long term. This is because it’s all about working to strengthen those muscle groups…which is something I desperately need to maintain.

3.5 Ironman?

So, I don’t have a video example of this one. I call it the Ironman. It’s similar to the Superman exercise above, only you put your arms out to your sides as if you’re flying like Tony Stark.

This is one of the most grueling superhero exercises I’ve ever done. In fact, my abs were so tense that it made me sick to my stomach. That’s because I held the position for far longer than I should have.

4. Swiss Ball Superman

Swiss Ball Superman

Although you’ll need a swiss ball to do this exercise, it’s still a good one to add to the list. I can’t tell you the amount of use the swiss ball gets in my house, both as exercise equipment and as a chair.

The idea here is to bring your opposite leg and arms up to create a bit of an off-balance on the ball. Then, your body compensates by activating muscle groups to keep you steady.

For instance, lay across the ball and bring your left leg up while lifting your right arm. It’s good for the shoulders, lower back, middle back, glutes, and hamstrings.

5. Upwards Chop

I know, this one doesn’t have a cool name for the superhero exercises. But, I imagine doing it as I am wielding Mjölnir, Thor’s hammer.

Instead of a cable machine, I do this one-handed with 20-pound dumbbells. Usually, I’ll alternate 20 reps on each arm.

This is quite intense on the obliques, upper back, shoulders, triceps, and a bit of work on the biceps.

6. Reverse Fly

Captain America vs LogThere’s an iconic scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron when Cap tears a log in half while “discussing” something with Tony Stark. In order to do that, he must have done a lot of reverse flies.

The reverse fly is the motion of moving the weight outward. This activates the chest, middle back, upper back, and shoulders quite well. And depending on your positioning, you might even feel it in the triceps.

There are all kinds of ways you can do a reverse fly. If you have resistance bands, you can move them outward away from your body. If you have dumbbells, leaning over something like the swiss ball and moving the arms up and towards the ceiling works well, too.

7. Yoga

Wait, what? Yep. I’m counting regular, plain ‘ol yoga in the list for superhero exercises. Why is that? Flexibility and definition.

After all, being limber and flexible prevents injuries while allowing for a greater freedom of movement overall. And whether you’re web-slinging down Wall Street or trying to fly home with one flight stabilizer out in your armor, these aspects are important.

And this is on top of feeling at peace and zen-like.

8. Xbox Kinect

I am a big fan of the Xbox Kinect. I’ve lost more than 80 pounds because of this device, and it bummed me out when Microsoft dropped the axe on it.

But, I still play a lot of Avengers: Battle for Earth. And if there is one game that boasts superhero exercises, it’s strapping on the weights to play a few rounds.

Most of the moves you perform in the game are realistically those you would see from your favorite mutant or hero.

Essentially, Anything is Considered Superhero Exercises

Yes, I had a bit of fun trying to find ways to associate workouts with superhero exercises. But the truth is that anything you do is beneficial.

Not all superheroes are bulky and able to smash cars. A lot of them are simply fast, lean, and flexible.

For instance, one of the moves in Avengers: Battle for Earth is using repulsor blasts in fast repetition as Ironman. While wearing wrist weights, this vastly improves stamina, toning, and strength.

Superhero exercises are really anything you do to improve yourself overall.

Run fast like the Flash. Use pull-ups to lift yourself to safety. Box with a speed bag to improve your combat prowess. Virtually any exercise can be viewed as a way to become superhuman through the eyes of a hero.

The whole idea of imagining yourself training as a superhero is to make it fun. Successful workout routines center around engagement. If you enjoy what you’re doing, then you’re more likely to continue.

And if you’re curious, most of these superhero exercises are easily found on Exercise.com or doing a few searches on YouTube. Just be careful to follow the advice of experts.

Even the simplest of exercises can go horribly wrong if you’re not doing it correctly. In fact, you could injury yourself quite badly by twisting the wrong way, or perhaps positioning your body wrong.

What Kind of Superhero Are You?

In the end, the best workout routine is one that keeps you coming back for more. Not everyone will like the same things, and that’s completely fine. When it comes to health and fitness, it’s literally all about you.

Find ways that keep you motivated for fitness, whether it’s performing superhero exercises or simply playing with the dog in the backyard.

About Author

Let me know what you think...